United Nations: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said China has become "quite active" in the search for peace in the Middle East while describing a Britain- sponsored conference on Palestinian reforms as a "positive step".

He said though China has not yet made a formal request to join the 'Quartet' – United States, Russia, European Union and UN - drawing up a road map for bringing peace between Israelis and Palestinians, it has become "quite active in the search for peace" in the region.

About the conference on Palestinian reforms called by Britain in London on January 14, Annan said it was a "positive step", but added it was "unfortunate" that Israel had prevented a Palestinian delegation from attending it.

"I believe the Palestinian delegates should have been allowed to attend the conference, to hear from others what is expected of them and to be given support for the reform of the Palestinian authority," he told reporters.

Envoys from the "Quartet" and representatives of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia attended the conference and the Palestinians' representatives in West Bank and Gaza participated via a video link.

Asked whether he considered the Israeli action a "slap in the face" of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Annan said he did not see things that way.

"It is always better to make an attempt to do the right thing and fail than to do nothing," he said.

PTI